Embassy up in arms over Boeung Kak egging

The Singapore Embassy in Phnom Penh yesterday filed a police complaint against Boeung Kak lake protesters after eggs were thrown at the embassy during a demonstration on Wednesday.

Protesters from the evicted community have been calling on the embassy to intervene in a deal involving Singaporean firm HLH Group buying land at the controversial site from lake developer Shukaku Inc.

HLH Group announced in June it had bought 1.3 hectares, but says the sale is still undergoing due-diligence review.

In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the embassy said it was “in no position to comment” on the legality of the arrangement and could not intervene in a private commercial transaction.

“In addition, the Embassy wishes to point out that instead of engaging with the Embassy in an appropriate manner, one protester threw around a dozen eggs at the Embassy’s signage and main gate,” the statement said, adding that “this act of vandalism” was unacceptable.

Yesterday, a spokesperson confirmed a police complaint had been filed and Chuon Cheth, Chaktomuk commune police chief, said he had referred the embassy to immigration police.

Sea Nareth, a representative of the protesters, admitted eggs had been thrown and said demonstrators had been angry the embassy had used security guards to disperse them and did not respond to an August 4 petition until Wednesday. “We don’t care about the embassy filing a complaint or lawsuit against us. We will continue.”